Corselet or the like

ABSTRACT

A corselet features an abdominal control unit positioned on the front wall thereof for the purpose of maintaining the abdomen flat and for holding up the top frontal edge of the garment. The control unit possesses the ability to perform these functions without restricting the ability of the wearer to twist, bend or stoop and without sacrifice of comfort and convenience. The invention is particularly characterized by economy of manufacturing and the use of a minimum amount of material. This renders the garment structure compact and flexible with a notable absence of bulkiness.

United States Patent 1 Herbener [54] CORSELET OR THE LIKE [76] inventor: Henry M. Herbener, 803 North Dawson St., P.O. Box 1477, Thomasville, Ga. 31792 [22] Filed: May 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 257,534

[52] US. Cl. ..128/S33 [51] Int. Cl ..A4lc 5/00, A41c 1/08 [58] Field of Search ..128/567571, 533, 128/428, 431, 429, 443, 577, 578, 559

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,498,298 3/1970 Herbener ..128/533 3,295,531 1/1967 Herbener.... ....128/57O X 3,148,681 9/1964 Herbener ..128/569 X 51 Mar. 27, 1973 Primary ExaminerG. V. Larkin Attorney-B. P. Fishburne, Jr.

57 ABSTRACT A corselet features an abdominal control unit positioned on the front wall thereof for the purpose of maintaining the abdomen flat and for holding up the top frontal edge of the garment. The control unit possesses the ability to perform these functions without restricting the ability of the wearer to twist, bend or stoop and without sacrifice of comfort and convenience. The invention is particularly characterized by economy of manufacturing and the use of a minimum amount of material. This renders the garment structure compact and flexible with a notable absence of bulkiness.

11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmzmrs SHEET 1 [IF 2 CORSELET OR THE LIKE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The subject matter in this application is an improvement and simplification of certain structures disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 195,210, filed Nov. 3, 1971, for FOUNDATION GARMENTS HAVING RESILIENT CONTROL UNITS.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a corselet of the type disclosed in said prior application which embodies a greatly simplified and more economical mounting and positioning means for the metal abdominal control unit on the front wall of the garment. More particularly, in the prior art, this means was in the form of a pocket structure on the interior of the garment front wall and the pocket tended to be somewhat complex and bulky and also costly to manufacture. Additionally, the pocket structure is formed'of a number of separate parts composed of fabric and in certain areas there was a tendency for the pocket structure to be weak, for example near the bottom thereof where the main vertical control rib of the metal unit entered a narrow depending guide tube extension on the bottom of the main pocket. These and certain other defects of the prior constructions have been successfully eliminated in this invention without sacrificing or reducing any of the primary functional features of the abdominal control unit which is the heart of the invention. The ultimate garment is rendered even more comfortable and more eflicient because of increased strength in critical areas and further reduced bulkiness. Additionally, the manufacturing process is rendered considerably more practical and economical.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a corselet embodying the invention with the rear wall broken away to expose to view the interior of the garment front wall upon which the invention proper is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a resilient abdominal control unit forming an important component of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a similar section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a central vertical section through the front wall of the corselet and associated elements taken on line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a similar section taken on line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the improved simplified confining or positioning structure for the abdominal control unit.

FIG. 9 is an assembled perspective view of the same.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the interior of the rear panel of the unit positioning structure and a closure flap associated therewith carrying two highly flexible auxiliary vertical ribs.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral 200 designates a corselet or like foundation garment in its entirety having an abdominal or front wall 201 formed of suitable fabric, which front wall carries the invention proper on the interior thereof as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

The invention comprises a resilient abdominal control unit 202 which serves the dual purpose of maintaining the abdomen of the wearer flat and for holding up the top of the garment particularly at the center where there is a tendency for the garment to sag and to gap away from the chest. The abdominal control unit 202 comprises tangentially arranged upper and lower resilient loops 203 and 204 formed of zigzag wire and being approximately circular and of approximately equal diameter when in a relaxed state. The bottom of the loop 203 is securely attached to the top of the loop 204 by a thin metal connector 205 generally as shown in the prior art. The connector 205 is also securely attached as at 206 to the upper end of a resilient relatively wide and thin main abdominal control rib 207 formed of springy metal and characterized by a rather high degree of flexibility. As shown, the main abdominal control rib 207 extends downwardly from the connector 205 and completely across the lower loop 204 diametrically and for a substantial distance below this loop in a vertical direction.

The unit 202 further comprises an upper relatively narrow and thicker vertical rib 208 possessing a lesser degree of flexibility than the rib 207 and having for its main purpose to hold up the top edge of the corselet at the center of the front wall of the garment and to resist gapping of the front wall away from the chest. The upper vertical rib 208 is firmly anchored to the top of resilient loop 203 by a metal connector 209, having rivets or like securing elements 210 both above and below the top of the wire loop 203 for stability. The rib 208 crosses and extends considerably below the top of the loop 203 and terminates near the center of this loop, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The two ribs 207 and 208 are thus held in spaced or separated relation vertically while being maintained in longitudinal alignment.

The control unit 202 is supported and positioned on the interior of the garment front wall by the fabric structure shown in the greatest detail in FIGS. 8 and 9 and shown holding the abdominal control unit 202 in FIGS. 5 and 6. The unit supporting and positioning structure comprises a simplified primary pocket 211 adapted to receive the unit 202 removably and to enclose the two loops 203 and 204 and immediately adjacent parts as shown in FIG. 1. The pocket 211 comprises a forward generally oval panel or wall 212 of fabric having a buttonhole-like slot 213 near and above the lower edge thereof and at the lateral center of the panel for an important purpose to be described. The rearward or interior wall of the pocket 21 1 is formed by a pair of preferably double thickness vertically folded fabric panel sections 214 which are marginally stitched to the forward panel 212 by arcuate lines of stitching 215 and lower straight transverse lines of stitching 216, FIG. 9. These marginal stitching lines also serve to attach the pocket 211 to the fabric front wall 201 of the corselet.

The folded vertical edges 217 of panel sections 214 are unstitched to provide an entrance slit 218, FIG. 9, leading into the interior of the pocket 21 1 through which the control unit 202 may be introduced into and removed from its supporting and positioning means.

The supporting and positioning means for the unit 202 additionally comprises upper and lower narrow vertical extension pockets 219 and 220 for the respective vertical ribs 208 and 207. The extension pockets 219 and 220 are essentially narrow vertical flattened tubular pockets or confining channels for the vertical ribs 208 and 207. These extension pockets are most efficiently and economically formed as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9 by a single elongated fabric strip or tape 221 which lies immediately on the inside of the garment front wall 201. The tape 221 extends continuously in a vertical direction from a point well below the bottom edge of pocket 211 to the extreme top edge of the garment front wall at the transverse center thereof. At the top edge of the garment, the tape is reversely folded to produce an integral internal vertical extension 222 which becomes the inner wall of pocket 219 after the application of lines of stitching 223 at the longitudinal edges of the tape, through both folded layers thereof and also through the material of the front wall 201. Preferably, the upper fold or bight portion of the tape 221 is locally reinforced on the interior of the fold with a short folded fabric section 224 which also receives the lines of stitching 223 at the side edges of the tape. The lower end of the interior tape extension 222 somewhat overlaps the top of pocket 211 and is appropriately stitched at 225 to the interior wall of the pocket. Thus, the single continuous tape 221'after folding and stitching as described forms the tubular pocket 219 which receives the upper rib 208 when the control unit 202 is assembled to the garment.

The tape 221 extends between the garment front wall 201 .and the pocket front wall 212, FIG. 5, and. the tape terminates well below the pocket 211 as previously stated. The tape 221 need not be stitched or attached to the forward wall 212 of main pocket 211 and preferably floats free from the main pocket while being stitched to the front wall 201. The lower tubular pocket 220 is completed by the application of a relatively short interior tape section 226 to the main tape 221 on the inner side of the latter. Prior to stitching the tape section 226 in place, a small fabric patch 227 is stitched around three sides to the interior of the tape 221, somewhat below pocket 211, FIG. 5, to form a downwardly opening flexible socket for a short and quite flexible auxiliary rib 228 which is mounted on the inner side of the tape 221. The lower end of the auxiliary rib 228 is supported in a top opening socket formed by a short inwardly folded lower terminal end 229 of tape 221. After the application of the patch or socket element 227 to the tape 221, FIG. 8, the tape 221, tape section 226 and the folded end 229 have vertical lines of stitching 230 applied therethrough. These two lines pocket but a portion of this pocket may be left unattached to the front wall 201 of the garment. Also, the lower transverse edge of tape section 226 is unstitched with respect to the tape 221 to cause the lower end of tubular pocket 220 to remain open so that the main control rib 207, which enters this tubular pocket, may have unrestricted vertical movement within the pocket and relative to the garment front wall.

The supporting and positioning means for the unit 202 further comprises a rectangular flap 231 on the interior of the ran. wall of pocket 211. This flap is permanently stitched to one fabric section 214 of the pocket rear wall, as indicated in FIG. 8, by suitable lines of stitching 232. The flap 231 projects beyond the edge 217 of the section 214 to which it is attached for about'one-half the width of the flap. This enables the flap 231 to form a closure for the pocket 211 when tucked inside of the slit 218 in the, manner clearly shown in FIG. 6. The flap can also be pulled to the outside of the pocket 211 to facilitate entry and removal of the control unit 202 as when the garment is being laundered.

On its forward face, FIG. 10, the flap 231 has fabric sections or tapes 233 suitably stitched thereto to provide downwardly and upwardly opening flexible sockets 234 and 235 for the upper and lower ends of thin highly flexible auxiliary ribs 236 bodily mounted removably upon the flap 231. When reference to FIG. 5, these auxiliary ribs 236 lie inwardly or rearwardly of the control unit 202 in assembly so as to be overlapped by the lower extension 237 of upper rib 208. As described in said prior application, this arrangement eliminates the possibility of the upper rib 208 jabbing into the body of the wearer as when bending at the waist. Instead, the lower end 237 of the relatively stiff upper rib will engage the two closely spaced auxiliary ribs 236 slidably and will be urged by the latter away from jabbing engagement toward the body of the wearer. A similar mode of operation occurs between the lower end of main control rib 207-and the adjacent auxiliary rib 228 as described in said prior application. Additionally, the coaction between the ribs 207 and 228 in sliding contact tends to prevent wrinkling of the garment front wall near its lower end, thus preventing the rib 207 from becoming caught up in wrinkles of the front wall as well as preventing jabbing into the body by the rib 207 The abdominal control unit 202 is applied to the garment by placing it through the slit or opening 218 of main pocket 211. The two resilient loops 203 are received bodily in the main pocket 211 with the lower loop 204 bottoming on the lower transverse end 238 of the pocket as best shown in FIG. 5. The upper vertical rib 208 is received through the open bottom of tubular extension pocket 219 which communicates with the interior of main pocket 211 as best shown in FIG. 5. The lower end 237 of rib 208 enters the top of pocket 211 forwardly of the flap 231 having auxiliary ribs 236 thereon, as described. The lower or main vertical rib 207 enters the lower tubular extension pocket 220 by passing through the buttonhole slit 213 in the forward wall 212 of the main pocket, again most clearly shown in FIG. 5. This is a very important feature which imparts strength to the pocket 211 at the most critical point where the tension of the-lower loop 204 bears upon the bottom 238 of the main pocket. By having the buttonhole slit 213 sufficiently above the bottom of the main pocket, there is no necessity for removing fabric at the extreme bottom of the pocket to form an entryway into the vertical tubular extension pocket 220. This is a distinct improvement on the prior art where such entryway tended to weaken the main pocket structure. The slit 213 is also sufiiciently below the connector 205 so that the latter is fully clear of the buttonhole slit and cannot defeat the required free vertical movement of the main rib 207 in the buttonhole slit and in the tubular pocket 220, as described in said prior application. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower rib 207 after passing through the buttonhole slit 213 freely enters the tubular pocket 220 for unrestricted movement therein. The control unit 202 is easily withdrawn from its supporting and positioning means through the slit 218 which extends vertically for the major portion of the length of the main pocket 211. This main pocket is sufficiently wide to allow the necessary lateral expansion of the loops 203 and 204 when the wearer bends or stoops. This mode of operation is described in said prior application and in the prior art. The upper rib 208 is constantly forced upwardly into contact with the reinforcing strip 224 at the top of tubular pocket 219 by the engagement of the lower loop 204 with the bottom of the main pocket 211. This holds up the top edge of the garment and prevents gapping at the top edge and this is also described in said prior application.

The fabric employed to make the main pocket 211 is preferably non-elastic fabric although it could be elastic or stretchable in the horizontal direction and somewhat stretchable in the vertical direction. The tape 221 and tape sections 226 and 222 may be formed of either non-elastic or elastic fabric. The reinforcing section 224 is preferably non-elastic.

FIG. 11 of the drawings shows a modified arrangement for reinforcing the top end of the extension pocket 219 where the latter is subject to the greater pressure from the rib 208. Instead of the previouslydescribed fabric section 224 shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the tape 222' immediately inwardly of the garment front wall 201 is extended over and around the top end of rib 208 and terminates. a short distance downwardly therefrom on the inner side of the rib adjacent to a line of stitching 225'. A reinforcing fabric strip or tape 224' forming the inner side of extension pocket 219 and therefore corresponding to the tape section 222 extends upwardly and over the top end of rib 208 and overlaps the terminal portion of the tape 222, indicated at 226'. The line of stitching 225' secures the terminal end portion 226 to the tape section 224. The tape 222' is similarly secured to the terminal end portion 227 by another line of stitching 228. As a result of this, a double thickness fabric wall is provided by the overlapping tapes at the top of extension pocket 219.

It should now be clear to those skilled in the art that the invention embodies a supporting and positioning means for the metal control unit 202 or a pocket structure for this unit which is highly simplified in comparison to the prior art, lacking in bulkiness and most efficient in cooperating with the control unit to allow the latter to perform its specified functions on the garment. The construction disclosed is much more economical to manufacture and also more durable than prior art structures of a similar nature.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing fiom the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment comprising a garment body portion including a front wall arranged adjacent the abdomen of a wearer of the garment, a resilient abdominal control unit adjacent to the garment front wall including a pair of connected resilient loops arranged one above the other in substantially tangential relationship, a main vertical control rib on said unit extending diametrically across the lower loop of said pair and substantially below the lower loop and an upper vertical rib secured to the upper loop of said pair of loops and extending for a substantial distance thereabove and also extending to a point near the center of the upper loop, the improvement comprising a fabric supporting and positioning means for said control unit on the interior of the garment front wall, said means comprising a main pocket adapted to receive and enclose both loops of said pair and having opening means through which said unit may be applied to or removed from the garment, and upper and lower narrow vertical extension pockets for said vertical ribs of said control unit formed essentially by a tape applied to the front wall of the garment and extending above and below said main pocket and vertically across the main pocket between the main pocket and said garment front wall.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said main pocket including a forward wall lying immediately inwardly of said tape and said pocket forward wall having a buttonhole-like slit receiving said main vertical control rib slidably therethrough, whereby said control rib may enter the lower narrow extension pocket at a point above the bottom of said main pocket and allowing the bottom of the main pocket to be completely closed for maximum strength.

3. The structure of claim 1, and an inwardly folded integral tape extension on the upper end of said length of tape extending downwardly in reverse direction on said length of tape to a point near the top of said main pocket and attached to the longitudinal edges of said length of tape above said main pocket to complete the formation of said upper vertical extension pocket.

4. The structure of claim 1, and a relatively short tape section below the bottom of the main pocket and attached to said single length of tape along the longitudinal edges thereof and on the interior side thereof to complete the formation of said low narrow vertical extension pocket.

5. A foundation garment comprising a garment front wall arranged adjacent to the abdomen of a wearer of the garment, a resilient abdominal control unit adjacent to the garment front wall, said unit having upwardly and downwardly extending separated vertical ribs and intervening spring structure connecting the ribs, and supporting and positioning means for said abdominal control unit on the garment front wall, said means comprising a pocket for supporting and positioning said spring structure, and an upper and a lower narrow vertical extension pocket on the garment front wall extending above and below said pocket and receiving said upwardly and downwardly extending ribs, said extension pockets formed by a tape secured to the front wall of the garment and extending continuously from a point substantially below said pocket to the top of the garment front wall and downwardly in a reverse direction toward the top of said pocket.

6. The structure of claim 5, and said tape being folded transversely at the top edge of the garment body portion, and a short flexible reinforcing strip attached to the tape at the region of folding to reinforce the same for contact with the upper end of said upwardly extending rib.

7. The structure of claim 5, and said pocket being a relatively wide pocket having an entrance slit in its inward wall through which said control unit is introduced and removed from the supporting and positioning means, a flexible closure flap on said inward wall of the pocket adapted to extend across said entrance slit, and at least one thin resilient vertically extending auxiliary rib mounted on said flap and positioned for sliding contact with the lower end portion of said upwardly extending vertical rib, said upper narrow extension pocket containing the upper vertical rib communicating with said pocket.

8. The structure of claim 5, and a relatively short highly resilient vertically extending auxiliary rib anchored to said tape forming said extension pockets and positioned near the bottom of the lower extension pocket for sliding contact with the lower end of said downwardly extending vertical rib, said lower extension pocket being in communication with said pocket.

9. The structure of claim 8, and the communication between said lower extension pocket and pocket being in the form of a small slit in the forward wall of the pocket spaced above the bottom of the pocket and being of sufficient width only to receive movably said downwardly extending vertical rib.

10. The structure of claim 5, and said spring structure comprising a pair of vertically superposed highly resilient spring wire loops, said upwardly extending vertical rib attached to the top of the uppermost loop and the downwardly extending rib attached at least to the lower loop and extending diametrically across the lower loop vertically and well below the lower loop.

11. The structure of claim 5, and said upper extension pocket being reinforced at its top end by providing overlapping end portions of tape at said top end, said overlapping end portions secured in overlapping relationship by stitching to thereby form a double thickness wall of tape at the top end of said upper extension pocket. 

1. A foundation garment comprising a garment body portion including a front wall arranged adjacent the abdomen of a wearer of the garment, a resilient abdominal control unit adjacent to the garment front wall including a pair of connected resilient loops arranged one above the other in substantially tangential relationship, a main vertical control rib on said unit extending diametrically across the lower loop of said pair and substantially below the lower loop and an upper vertical rib secured to the upper loop of said pair of loops and extending for a substantial distance thereabove and also extending to a point near the center of the upper loop, the improvement comprising a fabric supporting and positioning means for said control unit on the interior of the garment front wall, said means comprising a main pocket adapted to receive and enclose both loops of said pair and having opening means through which said unit may be applied to or removed from the garment, and upper and lower narrow vertical extension pockets for said vertical ribs of said control unit formed essentially by a tape applied to the front wall of the garment and extending above and below said main pocket and vertically across the main pocket between the main pocket and said garment front wall.
 2. The structure of claim 1, and said main pocket including a forward wall lying immediately inwardly of said tape and said pocket forward wall having a buttonhole-like slit receiving said main vertical control rib slidably therethrough, whereby said control rib may enter the lower narrow extension pocket at a point above the bottom of said main pocket and allowing the bottom of the main pocket to be completely closed for maximum strength.
 3. The structure of claim 1, and an inwardly folded integral tape extension on the upper end of said length of tape extending downwardly in reverse direction on said length of tape to a point near the top of said main pocket and attached to the longitudinal edges of said length of tape above said main pocket to complete the formation of said upper vertical extension pocket.
 4. The structure of claim 1, and a relatively short tape section below the bottom of the main pocket and attached to said single length of tape along the longitudinal edges thereof and on the interior side thereof to complete the formation of said low narrow vertical extension pocket.
 5. A foundation garment comprising a garment front wall arranged adjacent to the abdomen of a wearer of the garment, a resilient abdominal control unit adjacent to the garment front wall, said unit having upwardly and downwardly extending separated vertical ribs and intervening spring structure connecting the ribs, and supporting and positioning means for said abdominal control unit on the garment front wall, said means comprising a pocket for supporting and positioning said spring structure, and an upper and a lower narrow vertical extension pocket on the garment front wall extending above and below said pocket and receiving said upwardly and downwardly extending ribs, said extension pockets formed by a tape secured to the front wall of the garment and extending continuously from a point substantially below said pocket to the top of the garment front wall and downwardly in a reverse direction toward the top of said pocket.
 6. The structure of claim 5, and said tape being folded transversely at the top edge of the garment body portion, and a short flexible reinforcing strip attached to the tape at the region of folding to reinforce the same for contact with the upper end of said upwardly extending rib.
 7. The structure of claim 5, and said pocket being a relatively wide pocket having an entrance slit in its inward wall through which said control unit is introduced and removed from the supporting and positioning means, a flexible closure flap on said inward wall of the pocket adapted to extend across said entrance slit, and at least one thin resilient vertically extending auxiliary rib mounted on said flap and positioned for sliding contact with the lower end portion of said upwardly extending vertical rib, said upper narrow extension pocket containing the upper vertical rib communicating with said pocket.
 8. The structure of claim 5, and a relatively short highly resilient vertically extending auxiliary rib anchored to said tape forming said extension pockets and positioned near the bottom of the lower extension pocket for sliding contact with the lower end of said downwardly extending vertical rib, said lower extension pocket being in communication with said pocket.
 9. The structure of claim 8, and the communication between said lower extension pocket and pocket being in the form of a small slit in the forward wall of the pocket spaced above the bottom of the pocket and being of sufficient width only to receive movably said downwardly extending vertical rib.
 10. The structure of claim 5, and said spring structure comprising a pair of vertically superposed highly resilient spring wire loops, said upwardly extending vertical rib attached to the top of the uppermost loop and the downwardly extending rib attached at least to the lower loop and extending diametrically across the lower loop vertically and well below the lower loop.
 11. The structure of claim 5, and said upper extension pocket being reinforced at its top end by providing overlapping end portions of tape at said top end, said overlapping end portions secured in overlapping relationship by stitching to thereby form a double thickness wall of tape at the top end of said upper extension pocket. 